Exercise machine and method for exercising the musculature of a limb that can be carried out through such a machine

ABSTRACT

The invention refers to an exercise machine ( 1 ) comprising: a frame ( 2 ) adapted to support the machine ( 1 ) with respect to a supporting surface ( 8 ); at least one arm ( 4   a   , 4   b ) hinged to the frame ( 2 ) and comprising, at a distal end thereof, at least one engagement element ( 42   a   , 42   b   , 43   a   , 43   b ) for an end of a user&#39;s limb, such an engagement element ( 42   a   , 42   b   , 43   a   , 43   b ) being adapted to describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory during the movement of the arm ( 4   a   , 4   b ); an applicator device ( 6 ) of a resisting force to said arm ( 4   a   , 4   b ).  
     The engagement element ( 42   a   , 42   b   , 43   a   , 43   b ) is fixed to a carriage ( 41   a   , 41   b ) slidably associated with the arm ( 4   a   , 4   b ) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm ( 4   a   , 4   b ), and the applicator device ( 6 ) is associated with the carriage ( 41   a   , 41   b ) so as to apply a resisting force to the arm ( 4   a   , 4   b ) acting along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane locally tangent to the substantially curvilinear trajectory for at least a portion of said trajectory.  
     The invention also refers to a method for exercising the musculature of a user&#39;s limb that can be carried out through such an exercise machine ( 1 ).

The present invention refers to an exercise machine. In particular, the invention refers to an exercise machine suitable for strengthening the musculature of the lower or upper limbs, which has a preferred although not exclusive use for the rehabilitation of users who have suffered traumas or undergone operations to such limbs. In such events and, more generally, in the field of exercise, there is a known need to restore or increase the mass and tone of the musculature of the limbs, so as to recover their functionality as completely and quickly as possible in the case of a trauma or to increase the muscle mass and tone in the desired way.

Generally, it is sought to satisfy this requirement through muscle rehabilitation and strengthening exercises, often carried out with the help of exercise tools or machines in order to make the rehabilitation more targeted and/or effective.

For example, in the specific case of the lower limbs, the hypotrophy and hyposthenia of the quadriceps muscle are a constant occurrence after traumas or operations to the knee and it is necessary to counteract the loss of strength of the muscle with suitable rehabilitation exercises, so as to re-establish the correct working order of the limb involved and, therefore, the motor and walking capabilities of the patient.

Two main types of exercises are known. A first type of exercises, generally indicated with the term: open kinetic chain exercises, provides that, during the movement, the involved limb is subjected to a resisting force and the end (hand/foot) thereof is free to move in space. In this type of exercises, each extension and bending of the limb stimulates essentially only the agonist muscles, without involving the corresponding antagonist muscles. These exercises are therefore very effective for strength recovery by the agonist muscles, since they substantially isolate the operation thereof, but may give rise to an undesired side effect, in this case related to potentially harmful stresses at the joints, above all in a rehabilitation step. A second type of exercises, generally indicated with the term: closed kinetic chain exercises, provides that, during the movement, the involved limb is subjected to a resisting force, while the end (hand/foot) thereof is unmovable or only able to move with great difficulty. In this type of exercises each extension and bending of the limb stimulates both the agonist muscles and the antagonist muscles. The combined and simultaneous operation of the two muscle groups allows a greater stability of the joints to be ensured during exercise, limiting the occurrence of the aforementioned stresses; on the other hand, the strengthening action of the agonist muscles is less effective with respect to open kinetic chain exercises.

In the case, for example, of the lower limbs, typical open kinetic chain and closed kinetic chain exercises are, respectively, the so-called “leg extension”, which provides that the legs are alternately extended and bent under the action of a resisting force, having a direction substantially coinciding with the direction of the thrusting force of the user, thus involving the knee joint only, and the so-called “squat”, which provides that one's feet are kept on the ground and the legs are bent and extended, respectively lowering and raising the pelvis and upper trunk under the action of weights of a suitable size, thus involving the knee, hip and ankle joints together.

The leg extension exercise substantially stimulates just the quadriceps muscle and therefore is very effective for strengthening such a muscle; however, whilst it is carried out, tangential forces develop that tend to make the tibial plate translate forwards, consequently stressing knee structures, as the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial meniscus. Considering limb rotation angles measured starting from the limb in completely extended state (corresponding to a rotation of 0°), the aforementioned forces causing forward translation of the tibia arise for leg rotation angles between 0° and 60°. For these reasons, in rehabilitation after the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction it is common practice not to use the leg extension exercise in the first weeks after the operation and in any case to avoid reaching rotation angles of between 0° and 30° even at a later stage. Therefore, this does not allow the advantages offered by such an exercise in terms of exercising the quadriceps to be exploited at an early stage.

On the contrary, whilst doing squats the quadriceps work together with the antagonist muscles and therefore they can be strengthened to a lesser degree; however, the combined action of the two groups of muscles, together with the femural-tibial compression forces that naturally occur at the knee during this exercise thanks to the upright posture, allows a greater stability of the knee to be achieved and, therefore, the drawbacks and risks outlined in relation to open kinetic chain exercises to be reduced.

Despite the possible undesired side effects of open kinetic chain exercises, highlighted in numerous scientific studies, this type of exercises holds a substantial importance in the functional recovery of traumatised limbs. In the case of the lower limbs, it has for example been demonstrated that a muscle recovery programme based exclusively on closed kinetic chain exercises does not allow an optimal recovery of the quadriceps strength (Mikkelsen C., Werner S., Eriksson E., Close kinetic chain alone compared to combined open and close kinetic chain exercise for quadriceps strengthening after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with respect to return to sport: a prospective matched follow-up study, Knee Surg. Sports Traumatol. Arthrosc. 2000, 8(6): 337-342).

The technical problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of providing an exercise machine for strengthening the musculature of the lower or upper limbs, which allows an open kinetic chain exercise to be carried out with isolation of the agonist muscles involved and simultaneously allows the transversal stresses occurring at the involved joints to be minimised, so as to avoid the undesired side effects outlined above in relation to such a type of exercise.

According to a first aspect thereof, the invention therefore refers to an exercise machine comprising:

-   -   a frame adapted to support said machine with respect to a         supporting surface;     -   at least one arm hinged to said frame and comprising, at a         distal end thereof, at least one engagement element for an end         of a user's limb, said at least one engagement element being         adapted to describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory         during the movement of said arm;     -   an applicator device of a resisting force to said arm,         which is characterised in that said at least one engagement         element is fixed to a carriage slidably associated with said arm         along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal         axis of the arm, and in that said applicator device is         associated with said carriage so as to apply a resisting force         to the arm acting along a direction of application angularly         staggered with respect to a plane locally tangent to said         substantially curvilinear trajectory for at least a portion of         said trajectory.

Within the framework of the present description and of the subsequent claims, the expression: slidably associated, is used to indicate that the carriage is slidably mounted inside and/or outside said arm.

Thanks to such a combination of features, the exercise machine of the invention allows t transversal stresses acting on the involved joint to be substantially reduced to zero by applying a resisting force to the arm that has a first non-zero component along a direction locally tangent to the trajectory followed by the arm, and a second non-zero component along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane locally tangent to such a trajectory, i.e. along a direction passing through the centre of rotation of the arm. In the following description, such components shall be indicated with the terms: tangential component and radial component, respectively.

The tangential component of the resisting force counteracts the thrusting force applied by the user on the engagement element like in conventional open kinetic chain exercises, whereas the radial component acts substantially along the longitudinal axis of the arm, i.e. of the limb involved in the exercise, to which it is transferred thanks to the sliding of the carriage carrying the engagement element. The resolution of the resisting force along the two aforementioned directions is not fixed, but rather varies as the angular position assumed by the arm whilst the exercise is carried out varies, since the angle formed by the resisting force with respect to the plane locally tangent to the trajectory correspondingly varies.

The exercise machine of the invention substantially operates in the same way as an exercise machine for performing open kinetic chain exercises, for example leg extensions, thus allowing the typical advantages of such exercises to be obtained in terms of strengthening of the agonist muscles, and, at the same time, advantageously allows the undesired side effects outlined above to be avoided, thanks to the action of the radial component of the resisting force applied to the arm.

In particular, in the case of the lower limbs the radial component shall preferably be of the centripetal type, so as to apply a compression on the limb; such a compression acts on the knee joint increasing its stability and limiting the occurrence of tangential forces causing forward translation of the tibial plate.

Of course, the acting sense of the radial component of the resisting force applied to the arm can be of the opposite type, i.e. centrifugal, should it be desirable or advantageous to stress the joint (like for example in the case of the shoulder) by applying a traction onto it instead of a compression. The acting sense of the radial component is defined by the direction and sense of application of the resisting force to the carriage.

Preferably, the applicator device of the resisting force comprises at least one flexible transmission element extended between the carriage and a generator of the resisting force.

Such a transmission element, for example a belt, allows the desired resisting force to be applied to the carriage and allows the movement thereof to be easily followed whilst the exercises are carried out.

The exercise machine of the invention preferably also comprises angular adjusting means of the direction of application of the resisting force with respect to the plane locally tangent to the curvilinear trajectory. Such adjusting means advantageously allow the direction of application of the resisting force as naturally defined by a generic angular position of the arm to be modified; this in turn determines a different resolution of the resisting force into its components locally tangential and locally radial to the curvilinear trajectory and therefore, in particular, a different intensity of the longitudinal force acting on the user's limb. This possibility is particularly useful for adapting the exercise machine operation to the requirements of different users or else, for the same user, to the different steps of an exercise or rehabilitation programme. For example, in the case of the rehabilitation of users that have suffered traumas or undergone operations to the knee joint, it is possible to use such angular adjusting means to apply a relatively high longitudinal compression force on the lower limb to increase the stability thereof during the first steps of the rehabilitation programme, in which the joint is weaker, and then gradually decrease such a force as the joint recovers functionality.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the angular adjusting means comprise at least one deviator element slidably mounted in the frame and acting on the flexible transmission element to deviate the path thereof. Such a solution advantageously constitutes a simple and easily reversible way to adjust the direction of application of the resisting force without modifying the structure of the applicator device.

Preferably, such a deviator element is adjustably positionable along a direction substantially perpendicular to the supporting surface. This arrangement is optimal to selectively deviate the path of the flexible element in the different operating configurations it assumes during the angular movement of the arm.

Preferably, the deviator element comprises a roller, which advantageously allows the flexible transmission element to slide on it without scraping, so as to reduce the wear thereof through time.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the angular adjusting means comprise, alternatively or additionally, a fastening point of a first free end of the flexible transmission element, which is adjustably positionable on the carriage along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm. This allows a variation in the direction of application of the resisting force to be carried out by intervening on the fastening position of the transmission element to the carriage, without the need to use deviator elements along the path of the transmission element.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, which substantially achieves the same advantages of adjusting as that just above illustrated, without, however, introducing mobile elements into the carriage, said adjusting means comprise a plurality of fastening points of the first free end of the flexible transmission element defined on the carriage and spaced apart from each other along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm.

Preferably, such fastening points are pitchwise spaced apart, to advantageously allow a gradual adjustment.

Preferably, the resisting force is applied to said carriage along an initial direction of application forming an angle of between about 30° and about 1300 with respect to the plane locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory.

Within the framework of the present description and of the subsequent claims, the term: initial direction of application of the resisting force, is used to indicate the direction of the resisting force with respect to the plane locally tangent to the trajectory in an operating configuration of the exercise machine in which the arm is in its starting condition.

More preferably, the initial direction of application of the resisting force to said carriage forms an angle of between about 75° and about 105° with respect to said plane locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory. This allows an optimal intensity of the resisting force component along the longitudinal axis of the arm to be obtained in each angular position assumed by the arm during its rotation.

Preferably, the generator of the resisting force comprises adjusting means of the intensity of the resisting force. This feature, in the same way as the possibility of adjusting the direction of application of the resisting force, advantageously allows the operation of the exercise machine to be calibrated according to the individual users or the different steps of an exercise or rehabilitation programme.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible transmission element is an elastic element and the generator of the resisting force essentially consists of the flexible transmission element. Advantageously, in such an embodiment the resisting force is generated in a simple way, exploiting elements per se present in the machine and without resorting to external energy sources. Preferably, the elastic element extends between at least one fastening point defined on the frame and the carriage and is subjected to a predetermined pre-tensioning; this allows the elastic return force of the transmission element to be advantageously exploited to generate the resisting force to be applied to the arm.

Preferably, the generator of the resisting force comprises at least one pair of idle pulleys of the flexible transmission element, interposed between said fastening point and the carriage.

More preferably, at least one of said idle pulleys is adjustably positionable along a direction substantially parallel to the supporting surface of the machine.

The use of such pulleys advantageously allows the flexible transmission element to be selectively tensioned and therefore allows the intensity of the resisting force to be adjusted.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention, which can be advantageous for specific applications, provide that the generator of resisting force comprises: a plurality of weights adapted to be selectively associated with a second end of the flexible transmission element, electrical drives, pneumatic drives, an inertial force generator, individually or in combination with each other.

According to a second aspect thereof, the present invention refers to a method for exercising the musculature of a user's limb through an exercise machine comprising a support frame, said method comprising the steps of:

-   a) engaging an engagement element, positioned at a distal end of at     least one arm hinged to said support frame, through an end of the     limb; -   b) making said at least one arm of the exercise machine rotate     through the limb so as to make the engagement element describe a     substantially curvilinear trajectory; -   c) exerting a counteraction to the rotation of said at least one arm     through an applicator device of a resisting force acting on said arm     during at least a part of said step b) of rotation of said at least     one arm; characterised in that it comprises the further step of: -   d) translating said engagement element along a direction     substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm for at     least a portion of said substantially curvilinear trajectory and     during at least a part of said step b) of rotation of said at least     one arm.

Advantageously, such a method allows both the agonist muscle groups of the limb to be effectively exercised, thanks to the action of the resisting force applied to the arm which the user makes rotate (as typically happens in open kinetic chain exercises), and the forces acting during exercise at the joints of the limb involved in the movement to be controlled, thanks to the action of the translation force applied along the longitudinal axis of the arm (as typically happens in closed kinetic chain exercises).

In a preferred embodiment of such a method the at least one engagement element is fixed to a carriage slidably associated with the at least one arm and the aforementioned step d) is carried out by applying a resisting force to the carriage along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention shall become clearer from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof, made hereafter, for indicating and not limiting purposes, with reference to the attached drawings. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise machine according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the exercise machine of FIG. 1 in a first operating configuration;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the exercise machine of FIG. 1 in a second operating configuration;

FIG. 3 a is a schematic partial side view of the exercise machine of FIG. 1 in the operating configuration of FIG. 3 but in a differently adjusted condition;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the exercise machine of FIG. 1 in a third operating configuration;

FIG. 5 is a schematic rear elevation view of an exercise machine according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, in a first operating configuration thereof;

FIG. 6 is a schematic rear elevation view of the exercise machine of FIG. 5 in a second operating configuration thereof;

FIG. 7 is a schematic rear elevation view of the exercise machine of FIG. 5 in a third operating configuration thereof;

FIG. 7 a is a schematic rear elevated view of the exercise machine of FIG. 5 in the operating configuration of FIG. 7 but in a differently adjusted condition.

In the figures, an exercise machine according to the invention is generally indicated at 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, suitable for exercising lower limbs 7 of a user (not shown), the exercise machine 1 comprises a frame 2, a seat 3, a pair of mobile arms 4 a, 4 b and an applicator device 6 of a resisting force R.

The frame 2, preferably made of metal, comprises a pair of rear support legs 21 and a front support leg 22, which have, at a first end thereof, at a supporting surface 8, support elements 23, preferably coated with anti-slip material, for example rubber. From the front leg 22 extend two parallel section bars 24 a, 24 b each including a substantially horizontal side 241 a, 241 b and a substantially vertical side 242 a, 242 b. The horizontal sides 241 a, 241 b, together with a second end of the rear legs 21, define a substantially horizontal plane on which the seat 3 rests.

The seat 3 is equipped with a seating portion 31, a back 32 and a pair of handling elements 33 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1) that the user can grip whilst performing exercise. The seat 3 preferably also comprises conventional adjusting means of the horizontal and vertical position with respect to the frame 1 (not shown in the figures), to allow different users to keep a comfortable and correct position for performing the exercise. Preferably, the seat 3 is at least partially made of natural or synthetic materials comprising, for example, wood, thermosetting polymers, such as polyurethane, and thermoplastic polymers.

The mobile arms 4 a, 4 b are hinged to the frame 1 at a front end of the seating element 31 by means of pin elements 5 a, 5 b. Carriages 41 a, 41 b are mounted inside the mobile arms 4 a, 4 b at a distal end thereof and can slide along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arms themselves. On each carriage a pair of engagement elements 42 a, 43 a, and 42 b, 43 b substantially cylindrical in shape and projecting sideways from opposite sides of the mobile arms 4 a, 4 b is mounted; the engagement elements 42 a, 43 a, and 42 b, 43 b are adapted to engage a distal end 71 of the user's lower limbs 7, specifically a foot, to perform muscle-strengthening exercises, as shown in detail in FIGS. 2-4. In particular, the engagement elements 42 a, 42 b define a support for the sole of the foot, whereas the engagement elements 43 a, 43 b define an abutment for a front portion of the distal end 71, in this case the instep, against which the user can exert a thrusting force S. The engagement elements 43 a, 43 b have a diameter such as to comfortably adapt to the instep and are preferably made from a yielding synthetic material, for example skin-forming polyurethane or a foam coated with synthetic material capable to conform with all the deformations of the foam itself, in order to render comfortable and functional the contact therewith.

The applicator device 6 of the resisting force R comprises a pair of suitably sized elastic bands 61 a, 61 b respectively tensioned between a first pair of fastening points 44 a, 44 b, defined on the carriages 41 a, 41 b, and a second pair of fastening points 243 a, 243 b, defined on the frame 2 at the free ends of the horizontal sides 241 a, 241 b of the section bars 24 a, 24 b. In this embodiment of the invention the elastic bands 61 a, 61 b have both the function of generators of the resisting force R, determined by the elastic return force that occurs by tensioning them, and the function of flexible transmission elements for transmitting the resisting force R to the carriages 41 a, 41 b. The applicator device 6 also comprises a pair of idle pulleys 62 a, 63 a and 62 b, 63 b for each elastic band 61 a, 61 b respectively, arranged so as to make the elastic bands 61 a, 61 b have a substantially zigzagging path. The idle pulleys 62 a and 62 b are adjustably positionable on the frame 2 at the horizontal sides 241 a, 241 b of the section bars 24 a, 24 b, i.e. along a direction substantially parallel to the supporting surface 8, and then fixed in the desired adjustment condition.

The idle pulleys 63 a and 63 b are fixedly mounted at the lower end of the vertical sides 242 a, 242 b.

The exercise machine 1 further comprises two deviator elements 9 a, 9 b of the path of the elastic bands 61 a, 61 b, comprising two rollers slidably mounted on the frame 2 at the vertical sides 242 a, 242 b of the section bars 24 a, 24 b. The deviator elements 9 a, 9 b allow the direction of application of the resisting force R to the carriages 41 a, 41 b to be adjusted as better described hereafter, with reference to FIG. 3 a.

Most of the elements forming the applicator device 6 of the resisting force R are preferably housed inside a case 10 arranged beneath the seat 3, so as to ensure that the exercise machine 1 has the necessary active and passive safety and to give it a better overall appearance.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and, for simplicity, to just the arm 4 a, a method for exercising the muscles of the lower limbs of a user that can be carried out through the aforementioned embodiment of the exercise machine 1 shall now be described.

In a first step of the method (FIG. 2) the user engages the engagement elements 42 a, 43 a associated with the carriage 41 a of the arm 4 a through the end 71 of the lower limb 7. In a second step, the user exerts the thrusting force S on the engagement element 43 a and makes the arm 4 a rotate, so that each element associated with it describes a substantially curvilinear trajectory T. The arm 4 a assumes different operating configurations, like those schematically illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In a subsequent step, at least partially simultaneous to the step of rotating the arm 4 a, by means of the applicator device 6 of the resisting force R a counteraction to such a rotation is exerted.

In a further step, also at least partially simultaneous to the step of rotating the arm 4 a and again by means of the applicator device 6 of the resisting force R, the carriage 41 a together with the engagement elements 42 a, 43 a is translated along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm 4 a, as highlighted by the double arrow 13.

According to the invention, the steps of exerting a counteracting force to the rotation of the arm 4 a and of translating the carriage 41 a are operatively carried out by applying the resisting force R through the elastic band 61 a to the carriage 41 a along a direction forming a non-zero angle α with respect to a plane π locally tangent to the curvilinear trajectory T. The resisting force R therefore has non-zero both a tangential component R_(T) along a direction locally tangent to the curvilinear trajectory T and a radial component R_(C) along a direction locally centripetal with respect to the curvilinear trajectory T. The tangential component R_(T) essentially counteracts the thrusting force S, whereas the radial component R_(C) translates the carriage 41 a, advantageously exerting a compression force on the limb 7.

Comparing the operating configurations of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it can be observed that, whilst the user makes the arm 4 a rotate to perform an extension of the limb 7, the direction of application of the force R to the carriage 41 a with respect to the plane π locally tangent to the trajectory T, i.e. the value of the angle α, and therefore, by a geometric effect, the resolution of the resisting force R change. In particular, it should be noted that the angle α increases and therefore, having the same intensity of the resisting force R, the magnitude of the tangential component R_(T) decreases and the magnitude of the radial component R_(C) increases, advantageously allowing a greater compression of the limb to be obtained exactly when this effect is most desired, i.e. in the last section of the extension movement of the leg, as outlined above.

In whatever operating configuration it is possible to adjust the intensity of the resisting force R by adjusting the position of the idle pulley 62 a, as highlighted by the double arrow 11, and in such a way obtaining a corresponding variation of tensioning of the elastic band 61 a.

In the operating configurations in which the elastic band 61 a is in contact with the deviator element 9 a (as illustrated for example in FIGS. 3 and 4) it is also possible to adjust the direction of application of the resisting force R by adjusting the position of the deviator element 9 a so as to modify the path of the elastic band 61 a with respect to the path it would per se follow in each of such configurations. As illustrated for example in FIG. 3 a, displacing the deviator element 9 a in the direction of the arrow 12 modifies the path of the elastic band 61 a and the angle of application of the resisting force decreases from α to α′. This determines a change in the resolution of the resisting force R, and therefore particularly, in the magnitude of the radial component R_(C) longitudinally acting on the limb 7 (not shown here).

In alternative embodiments of the exercise machine, not illustrated here, additionally or alternatively to the deviator elements 9 a, 9 b, it is provided to adjust the direction of application of the resisting force R by means of first fastening points 44 a, 44 b of the elastic bands 61 a, 61 b adjustably positionable on the carriages 41 a, 41 b, or rather of a plurality of such fastening points arranged longitudinally pitchiwse on said carriages.

Further alternative embodiments of the exercise machine 1, not illustrated here, provide for the use, instead of the elastic bands 61 a, 61 b, of generic flexible transmission elements extended between the carriages 4 a, 4 b and generators of the resisting force that can comprise: a plurality of weights adapted to be selectively associated with a second end of the flexible transmission element, electrical drives, pneumatic drives, an inertial force generator, individually or in combination with each other. In such embodiments, the possibility of adjusting the position of the idle pulleys 62 a, 62 b is no longer necessary for the purposes of adjusting the intensity of the resisting force, and for this reason it shall be possible to use either non-adjustable idle pulleys 62 a, 62 b, in order to simplify the construction of the exercise machine 1, or adjustably positionable idle pulleys 62 a, 62 b, which are advantageous to extend—if so desired—the adjustment range of the direction of the resisting force R compared with that already allowed by the deviator elements 9 a, 9 b.

In FIGS. 5-7 a further preferred embodiment of the exercise machine of the invention is schematically represented seen from the rear, in order to highlight the relevant structural elements, that is adapted to exercise the upper limbs of a user (not shown). In the following description and in said figures, the elements of the exercise machine 1 that are structurally or functionally equivalent to those previously illustrated with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 shall be indicated with the same numerals and shall not be further described.

In such an embodiment, the frame 2 further comprises two substantially vertical uprights 25 a, 25 b, arranged at opposite sides with respect to the seat 3, and, on the reverse of the back 32, a substantially horizontal rod 26 associated at its ends with the uprights 25 a, 25 b. The arm 4 a is hinged at the upper end of the upright 25 a, through the pin element 5 a. The carriage 41 a is mounted on the arm 4 a at a distal end thereof and can slide along a direction substantially parallel to longitudinal axis thereof. On the carriage 41 a a pair of engagement elements 42 a, 43 a is mounted, only partially visible since they project from the front, and adapted to engage an end of an upper limb (not shown) of a user to carry out muscle-strengthening exercises. In particular, the engagement element 42 a, substantially cylindrical in shape, defines a handle element for a user's hand, at which the user can exert a thrusting force S, whereas the engagement element 43 a defines a support element for a user's forearm.

The applicator device 6 of the resisting force R comprises: an elastic band 61 a tensioned between the fastening point 44 a, defined on the carriage 41 a, and a second fastening point 251 b, defined on the upright 25 b; a idle pulley 62 a adjustably positionable on the rod 26 at the end opposite to the upright 25 a carrying the arm 4 a; a deviator element 9 a of the path of the elastic band 61 a, comprising a roller slidably mounted on the upright 25 a. In the same way as outlined above, the adjustment of the position of the idle pulley 62 a allows the tensioning of the elastic band 61 a, and therefore the intensity of the resisting force R, to be adjusted; the adjustment of the position of the deviator element 9 a allows the path of the elastic band 61 a, and therefore the direction of application of the resisting force R to the carriage 41 a to be modified (FIG. 7 a).

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, the exercise machine 1 allows a method for exercising the musculature of a user's upper limb to be carried out in a totally analogous way to what has already been outlined for the embodiment suitable for exercising the lower limbs.

In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, the exercise machine 1 of FIG. 5-7 can comprise a second arm hinged to the upright 25 b, in order to simultaneously exercise both upper limbs.

Further embodiments provide that different flexible transmission elements and generators of resisting force R are used as well as that, as an alternative or in addition to those described above, adjusting means of the direction of application of the resisting force R defined on the carriage 41 a are used, similarly to what has already been outlined for the embodiment suitable for exercising the lower limbs.

Obviously, those skilled in the art may introduce modifications and variants in the above described exercise machine, in order to satisfy specific and contingent requirements, which modification and variants fall anyhow within the scope of protection as is defined by the appended claims. 

1. Exercise machine (1) comprising: a frame (2) adapted to support said machine (1) with respect to a supporting surface (8); at least one arm (4 a, 4 b) hinged to said frame (2) and comprising, at a distal end thereof, at least one engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b) for an end (71) of a user's limb (7), said at least one engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b) being adapted to describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory (T) during the movement of said arm (4 a, 4 b); an applicator device (6) of a resisting force (R) to said arm (4 a, 4 b); characterised in that said at least one engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b) is fixed to a carriage (41 a, 41 b) slidably associated with said arm (4 a, 4 b) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm (4 a, 4 b), and in that said applicator device (6) is associated with said carriage (41 a, 41 b) so as to apply a resisting force (R) to the arm (4 a, 4 b) along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane (π) locally tangent to said substantially curvilinear trajectory (T) for at least a portion of said trajectory (T).
 2. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein said applicator device (6) comprises at least one flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b) extended between said carriage (41 a, 41 b) and a generator (61 a, 61 b) of the resisting force.
 3. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 1, comprising angular adjusting means (9 a, 9 b) of the direction of application of the resisting force (R) with respect to said plane (π) locally tangent to the curvilinear trajectory (T).
 4. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein said angular adjusting means (9 a, 9 b) comprise at least one deviator element (9 a, 9 b) slidably mounted in said frame (2) and acting on said at least one flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b) to deviate the path thereof.
 5. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 4, wherein said at least one deviator element (9 a, 9 b) is adjustably positionable along a direction substantially perpendicular to said supporting surface (8).
 6. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 4, wherein said at least one deviator element (9 a, 9 b) comprises a roller.
 7. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein said angular adjusting means (9 a, 9 b) comprise a fastening point (44 a, 44 b) of a first free end of said flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b), said fastening point (44 a, 44 b) being adjustably positionable on said carriage (41 a, 41 b) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said arm (4 a, 4 b).
 8. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein said angular adjusting means (9 a, 9 b) comprise a plurality of fastening points (44 a, 44 b) of a first free end of said flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b) defined on said carriage (41 a, 41 b) and spaced apart from each other along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said arm (4 a, 4 b).
 9. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 8, wherein said fastening points (44 a, 44 b) are pitchwise spaced apart from each other.
 10. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein said resisting force (R) is applied to said carriage (41 a, 41 b) along an initial direction of application forming an angle (α) of between about 30° and about 130° with respect to said plane (π) locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory (T).
 11. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 10, wherein said resisting force (R) is applied to said carriage (41 a, 41 b) along an initial direction of application forming an angle (α) of between about 75° and about 105° with respect to said plane (π) locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory (T).
 12. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) comprises adjusting means (62 a, 62 b) of the intensity of said resisting force.
 13. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein said flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b) is an elastic element and wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) essentially consists of the flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b).
 14. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 13, wherein said elastic element (61 a, 61 b) extends between at least one fastening point (243 a, 243 b, 251 a) defined on said frame (2) and said carriage (41 a, 41 b) and is subjected to a predetermined pretensioning.
 15. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 14, wherein said applicator device (6) of the resisting force (R) comprises at least one pair of idle pulleys (62 a, 62 b, 63 a, 63 b) of said flexible transmission element (61 a, 61 b), interposed between said fastening point (243 a, 243 b, 251 a) and said carriage (2).
 16. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 15, wherein at least one of said idle pulleys (62 a, 62 b, 63 a, 63 b) is adjustably positionable along a direction substantially parallel to said supporting surface (8).
 17. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) comprises a plurality of weights adapted to be selectively associated with a second end of said flexible transmission element.
 18. Exercise machine (1) according claim 2, wherein said generator of the force (R) comprises electrical drives.
 19. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) comprises pneumatic drives.
 20. Exercise machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein said generator of the resisting force (R) is an inertial force generator.
 21. Method for exercising the musculature of a user's limb (7) through an exercise machine (1) comprising a support frame (2), said method comprising the steps of: a) engaging an engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b), positioned at a distal end of at least one arm (4 a, 4 b) hinged to said support frame (2) through an end (71) of the limb (7); b) making said at least one arm (4 a, 4 b) of the exercise machine (1) rotate through the limb (7) so as to make the engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b) describe a substantially curvilinear trajectory (T); c) exerting a counteraction to the rotation of said at least one arm (4 a, 4 b) through an applicator device (6) of a resisting force (R) acting on said arm (4 a, 4 b) during at least a part of said step b) of rotation of said at least one arm (4 a, 4 b); characterised in that it comprises the further step of: d) translating said engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b) along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm (4 a, 4 b) for at least a portion of said substantially curvilinear trajectory (T) and during at least a part of said step b) of rotation of said at least one arm (4 a, 4 b).
 22. Method according to claim 21, wherein said at least one engagement element (42 a, 42 b, 43 a, 43 b) is fixed to a carriage (41 a, 41 b) slidably associated with said at least one arm (4 a, 4 b) and wherein said step d) is carried out by applying a resisting force (R) to the carriage (41 a, 41 b) along a direction of application angularly staggered with respect to a plane (π) locally tangent to said curvilinear trajectory (T). 